"No lady Amaterasu."

Michael as the Lord of Heaven and the Host both was beyond mortal failings.

"I assure you this was but a misunderstanding and not a declaration of war."

Or at least, he was supposed to be.

"Yes, I will be sure to reprimand my subject and we can discuss reparations at your convenience."

So, with the practice of millennia, his face showed not a hint of the deep weariness and, how did some of the little siblings like to put? Ah yes, how done he was with it all.

"May the Lord bless thine footsteps lady of the sun."

Thankfully, nobody was with him at the moment and so, as the connection with the rightfully in this case, miffed heathen terminated, he leaned back in his Father throne, and in doing so being reminded yet again of the fact that the duty and the throne he'd been tasked to fill was too much for any single angel, no matter how righteous, or, in the case of the once brightest amongst them, how prideful.

Taking advantage of the brief moment of solace where he could relax his wings, Michael pinched his nose and sighed.

"Why sister…"

When he'd asked if she'd been ready and received an affirmation and so, given the go ahead, he didn't mean for her to descend in a pillar of light!

Silver linings, Michael, silver linings.

Yes, at least she did not descend in her full majesty for even if their precious brother no doubt survived the same could not necessary have been said for his attendant and the pious servants of Father.

Or the nearby city blocks for that matter.

"Why are you like this…"

There was a reason they'd stopped doing the 'Be not afraid' routine even when Father still walked among them.

With another forlorn sigh, and his brief allowance of self pity per week over and done with, Michael squared his shoulders and sat up straight, connecting in full to Heaven's System once more.

The duty never ended and poor custodian or not, he'd fulfill his role to the best of his abilities—

Waiting for a second heartbeat revealed that no, the angrily buzzing call in the corner of his vision was not, in fact, a figment of his overworked mind.

He wasn't even sure archangels could break in such a way.

And if the projected call could bypass all the intermediaries coupled with how Gabriel pulled a Gabriel, then it could only be one person.

Plastering a smile he completed the magical circuit.

"Greetings Lady Leviathan, how may I help you?"

The familiar twin tailed face staring back at him did not seem to share in his cheer.

"No, my Lady, I assure you it was not a declaration of war."

Today was shaping up to be one of those days it would seem.


These last couple of weeks had been nothing less than a whirlwind.

Yuha still hadn't come to terms with it all.

Or any of it really.

Then again being ripped away from your parents, your dog, and the world you knew up till then would do that to anybody.

But on the bright side, if Big Sis' sometimes complicated explanations were to be believed, Yuha felt reasonably certain that he now had confirmation about the multiverse and that as least some of the theories within Mr Luminet's book were right!

Which, of course, meant that his family, aside from his new awesome sister with a body prettier than even those of the girls in magazines he'd sneaked home now and then. Well, his family was far, far away.

And it didn't take a genius to guess it would take a long, long time, if ever till he saw them again.

A task fitting for a Hero of old!

Although…Yuha wasn't certain Hercules or Mr Zeus for that mater ever took on a challenge quite like that. Mr Odin perhaps? He liked to go on long walks according to the tales did he not?

"Come on, just a hug!"

Watching the bouncy blonde lady dressed in a bright thin dress as white as her wings pout, making beckoning gestures all the while, Yuha, his heart beating quite fast and feeling a strange heat in his cheeks, not all that dissimilar to when Big Sis hugged him back and he massaged her soft yet firm rear, did what came naturally.

That is, griped A2's soft thigh tighter and half-hid his face behind it.

For her part, Big Sis laid a hand on him protectively.

"No."

Bubbly Irina and scary Xenovia were one thing, he'd gotten used to them.

Somewhat.

Unlike Miss Rias whose smile made him feel lightheaded or Miss Sona whose stern demeanor coupled with her glinting glasses made his cheek feel warm like his crush back in school did or Miss Akeno who…

At any rate, the beautiful nun and the prettier still archangel, whom Yuha, was pretty certain the stories depicted as a boy, no doubt another thing the stories got wrong, for apparently the Bible was right, yikes.

Although he'd already suspected that much when the evil lewd lady hurt Miss Asia.

Still, their words and looks confused him.

"But I haven't hugged him in ages, pleaaaase!"

Was…was the blonde angel funny in the head? Yuha could swear he'd never seen the woman before in his life.

Judging by Big Sis scoff which she immediately turned into a cough, Big Sis being funny like that at times, it would seem she agreed.

The weird almost…resonance in his chest at the sight of her no doubt having something to do with this new superpower he got when he'd been dropped in this place. No doubt a bonus or a package deal with the fact he could now speak other languages if the words of Miss Sona and Big Sis were to be believed.

With thankfully Big Sis right next to him, the beautiful woman whom apparently was a robot like a good terminator and how awesome was that! But awesomeness aside A2 immediately scooped him up and set about protecting and caring for him from that day on.

For that, if nothing else, Big Sis would never stop being family, or his precious Big Sis.

Without her who knows what would have happened.

"You wouldn't keep a big sister away from her long lost family would you?"

Clinging to A2 as he was, Yuha could feel the full body twitch.

The blonde angel chose the wrong words it would seem.

"Ok, no," she hissed before glancing to the left, making Yuha tilt for there was nothing but a wall there.

And then Big Sis smiled, and not the usual kind one when she thought he wasn't looking but the one which made his stomach feel all funny like as she raised her arm, the missing warmth making him shiver, and pointed at the wall, flicking a finger.

Which ceased to be a wall as A2's big sword manifested and won the argument with the hotel's wall before vanishing into Big Sis magic space again.

"I could handle the god damn mut—the various feathery funny people you know. But I draw the line at some random hus—feathery woman claiming what is mine."

Feeling emboldened, Yuha nodded. "Yeah, Big Sis is Big Sis!"

Curiously, his words seemed to hurt the blonde far worse than A2's had, don't cry pretty lady…

Gabriel perked up.

A2 growled and scooped him in her arms.

Did he say that outloud?

Oops.

"Follow, we settle this now!"

The blonde nun, eyes flying wide jumped to her feet. "Wait!" stuttering as she held out an arm, not that Big Sis stopped, instead with two steps reached the edge and jumped.

"Wheeee!" he always wanted to fly and thanks to Big Sis strength apparently amplified by his blood in a similar manner to the Dragon Lady, he now could!

Or the closest thing to it.

For as A2's arc reached its apex, she, unlike the first versions of Superman, landed on flash formed walkways of shining blue energy.

Glowing similarly to the lines tracing up and down her arms and body.

And then jumped again.

"Wheee!"

If nothing else, his excitement, seemed to bring a smile to her face.

A smile which was quickly doused by the flapping of wings fast on their trail.


Heretics say the darnedest things.

Nonetheless, Gabriel's joy could not be doused by the words of the artificial soul.

For she could tell as she sped through the sky on a lackadaisical pace, the game almost fun, that the artificial…cyborg…robot?

Wait, robots are from the future, yes?

Like in those movies Michael always tried and mostly succeeded in keeping her away from.

So, in that case, the future woman.

Yes, that felt right.

She nodded to herself.

Both for coming to the right conclusion no doubt as well as for the fact that the good Church people were hastening to follow after them.

She would make certain to praise them lots afterwards!

But be that as it may, Gabriel could tell that the future woman, this A2, for all that she was recalcitrant to part with her brother, and a mere glance was enough to confirm his identity.

The slightly altered energy coursing through him and the hue of his soul unmistakable.

At any rate, A2 clearly didn't know better and was merely trying to protect him.

Admirable and—

Wait, future woman.

Could she have come from the future, perhaps after Heaven's fall, like in those movies?

Could that be the reason neither she nor J…'Yuha', so cute, unconsciously naming himself after daddy…no wait, 'Father'.

Dad—Father did say to stop calling him that all those years ago and that she would understand why one day.

She still didn't get it, but regardless, was that why neither of them recognized her?

Was that how her brother circumvented total soul destruction? By casting his soul to the future?

She would have to ask Ramiel and Michael, they were well versed in the brainy stuff.

Flapping her wings, pinions still shivering in joy, joy which she transmitted to the celestial chorus above, she followed after A2 and descended towards the glade in a forest near a human building.

Gabriel didn't do brainy stuff, she instead brained heretics.

Or used to at any rate.

Touching down the smile already present stretched wider, almost starting to hurt as an idea came to mind.

Perhaps she could take Yuha on a trip, pampering him with hugs and cuddles as they crusaded against the infidels!

Yes, Father had meant well but perhaps this time around it would be better if brother dearest has a warrior king as the ancient heretics first feared he would be.

Ah, yes, she could already envision it, the two of them together, spreading the light of heaven and—

"Keep him safe, do you understand?"

"Y-yes, Miss!"

Blinking, Gabriel shook of the pleasant daydream that one day would hopefuly turn real and felt the smile slip of her face as A2 glared at a brown haired devil girl who reeked of dragon and—

"Ara?" she tilted her head, why did the little heretic radiate with the tiniest touch of brother's light?

In fact, it felt somewhat similar to how the future woman, by comparison, radiated Holy.

"If anything happens to him, anything at all, I will—"

Hmm, for all that A2 needed to learn not to trust heretics at least she was cowing the dragon in a respectable manner.

Normally she wouldn't stand for it, of course.

"Nothing will happen, I swear on my life!"

"Well you are smarter than you look for it is on the line…"

"Mouu! Don't bully my Issei!" a redhead who could only be the sister of that contradictory devil boy pouted as she came into view.

No, normally she would have opinions about it all. But, Yuha already seemed wary of her and Michael did say to avoid 'making an entrance' and not risk the soon to be peace talks so…and besides, the trembling dragon did seem to know Yuha as did the redhead and the other little devils who thankfully did not shine with brother's light and…

Oh.

Oh!

"Naughty brother~" she giggled as A2 finished terrifying the dragon girl and turned towards her with a raised eyebrow before scoffing and stepping into the middle of the clearing a few feet from her just as Sister Griselda and her ducklings arrived, freezing, and hesitantly coming to stand next to the devils.

It all made sense at last!

Without his memories or not, it would seem brother couldn't help it, he was already gathering disciples once again!

Although, perhaps, the future woman was something more.

A super-disciple maybe?

A2 scoffed, rolled her shoulder and drew a katana from her back, gazing at it before letting out a 'tsk', dismissing it and instead conjuring a futuristic shiny homage to Mister Berserk's blade.

Although, she'd yet to manage to read it, the artwork did look cool so one day, one day Michael!

"I just want you to know," A2 said, "that it is personal." Glaring at Gabriel…oh, or rather glaring at a certain part of her.

"Hmm~?"

A slow smile spread across her lips as puffed out her chest.

Inexperienced she might be in certain subjects with innuendo often flying over her halo but this.

Somehow.

Gabriel understood the source of the future woman's ire.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, intentionally bouncing on the ball of her feet, earning a growl from the faux Big Sis.

Good, she needed to learn her place for this time, a lightspear formed, humming in her grip. Gabriel didn't plan to mess around and… She blinked, the seeds of a most heretical idea beginning to form.

No.

Surely not.

And yet.

If brother was to be a king.

Then perhaps.

He needed a…a…

Ufufufu~


"Did the tips of Lady Gabriel's wings flicker?"

Xenovia couldn't blame Irina for the squeak in her voice.

The surprise, and frankly, sheer terror at the mere idea made her shiver.

"No, my airheaded student, you are imagining things," Sister Griselda said, tone deceptively aloof but after so many years, Xenovia could in fact read Griselda well enough when the nun's guard was down to know that yes, she too was disturbed.

And not just because they stood shoulder to shoulder with the devils again, or, the tiny itty bitty fact that the child whom Xenovia thought to be a mere saint was apparently.

Apparently…

The corners of her vision starting to fill with spots and the light seeming to brighten, coupled with her heartbeat speeding up was enough of a hint for Xenovia to quickly take control of her breathing in a practiced pattern while cycling her energy through her body.

Calming down.

All the while, lady Gabriel and the malfunctioning toaster…wait, she was favored by the son, did that make her a holy, if still malfunctioning toaster?

Questions of holyness aside, the two women staring one another down had not stopped…

"Heavens," Sister Griselda muttered, reaching up to rub her eyes. "Its Sisters College all over again, complete with a pair of turbo-virgins arguing over things they know little about."

Xenovia spluttered while Irina squeaked, "Wawawhat? S-sister?!"

"Hush oh airheaded student," Griselda muttered. "I am not dreaming, am I?" before sighing, shoulders slumping as she accepted the situation.

"Your oversized…udders clearly restrict the bloodflow to your brain."

"Says the boyish brute."

A2 grit her teeth, another point scored by lady Gabriel before pausing, and smirking.

"Better than you chicken legs, Yuha likes my lap pillows."

Immediately the smile vanished from Lady Gabriel's face and air felt heavy.

"It seems there is no other way."

"No."

"Sad."

"Debatable."

"Prepare yourself."

"I could say the same to you, you overgrown mu…pigeon. Know your place!"

"Let's settle this."

"Lets."

"After all…"

"I am his big sister!"
"I am his big sister!"

Xenovia thought the battle against Kokabiel had been tough.

The first clash between the two women swiftly dispelled that idea.

As solidified light met magitech blade, the ground around the two upturned, the trees near the edge exploded, with everyone staying safe courtesy of quick cantrips and reflexes from devil and priest alike.

And Xenovia?

Xenovia could tell that neither of them was giving it their all.

Sure, perhaps, if they came to blows, Xenovia could block with Durandal for all the good it would do her.

The blade wouldn't break.

Probably.

The same couldn't be said for Xenovia and her frail human body, cause no way could she anchor herself against or endure the blow-back against such strength.

"Go Big Sis!"

Xenovia whimpered.

For contrary to what the Son no doubt intended, both of the crazy women seemed to be emboldened by his words!